GM Performance's So-Cal Bonneville Fleet...

[Jive-Bomber]

I had the extreme privilege of being invited to a press event on Tuesday night for the Cadillac ULC concept car, hosted at the GM Advance Design Studi...

To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.

[Rolleiflex]

I agree, they did a great job of melding the old and the new. It may not be everyones' cup of tea, but I really like the white HHR nomad in the background of picture #7.

[BigBlockBuck]

I know anything factory supported at something as holy as Bonneville is pretty sacrilege, but I must admit GM’s fleet was pretty sweet, especially the Lakesters. It got a little lame when they rolled out a Saturn though.

[JimA]

A TON of heritage there. Alex Xydias is so vital to that history and keeping the spirit alive.

[paperdog]

thanks for going to another party without me .. again

looks like a fun evening thanks for tying it in on here

[kustombuilder]

Thanks for sharing. Thats my kinda party! i dig the Nomad too...
a couple months ago while working on Murray Pfaff's Imperial Speedster one of the GM Engineers that had something to do with that HHR (my mind is coming up blank on his name) stopped by. He was telling me about the time Jim Minneker barrel rolled it on the salt at Bonneville at 249.793mph! Jim walked away with nothing more than a sore neck due to the incredible amount of engineering that went into the cage and safety system of that thing.
i just borrowed these images from Chevyhhrworld.com...

[JeffreyJames]

What the compound on those red "tires"?? They look like some sort of gel compound.

[Rolleiflex]

Originally Posted by BigBlockBuck

I know anything factory supported at something as holy as Bonneville is pretty sacrilege, but I must admit GM’s fleet was pretty sweet, especially the Lakesters. It got a little lame when they rolled out a Saturn though.

I'd have to disagree about it being sacrilege. Manufacturers have been running and testing cars out there for years. Here is but one example:

[SLAMIT]

That is really cool. Its hard to think that a lto of these fellows then were building hot rods and race cars out of new or almost new cars.

It is neat to see the tradition continued in the same but totally differnt manner. and could you also imagine trying to build hotords out of todays coupes and sedans...Woof...

[CB_Chief]

Ugly doesn't go far enough when applied to that Cadillac monstrosity.

[Dubbzilla]

Originally Posted by JeffreyJames

What the compound on those red "tires"?? They look like some sort of gel compound.

Yeah I'm pretty curious as to what's going on with those things myself?!?! Very space age looking with all that rim and the little bands of compound.

[BigBlockBuck]

Originally Posted by Rolleiflex

I'd have to disagree about it being sacrilege. Manufacturers have been running and testing cars out there for years. Here is but one example:

I guess sacrilege was a little harsh. I was talking more about a racer on a budget with something they built and assembled themselves going up against a factory backed team with a virtually bottomless check book. The factories have had an awesome history with land speed racing, Mickey Thompson's factory backed efforts are legendary, but that was a different time. I wasn't saying I was agianst it, I just would rather root for the under dog.

[weez]

It's pretty unique that the So Cal team has this identity that spans so much time, and that Alex Xydias is still involved!

I used to live about a block from there, pretty nondescript place! My friend's girlfriend was (or still is?) a designer there, but I never checked it out.

One thing that's no fun about car design, is that no one can talk about what they're working on, which is always frustrating to me. But most of the designers I hang out with are hot rodders anyway, so that gives us something to discuss!

[SAVAGE]

WOW Very cool

[Brickster]

I can't believe that they rebuilt the wrecked HHR. That's more amazing than the original construction.

[JimA]

Originally Posted by Brickster

I can't believe that they rebuilt the wrecked HHR. That's more amazing than the original construction.

They built a whole new car at SO-CAL.

[Skankin' Rat Fink]

SSR push truck. Puke.

[Ryan]

It's always amazed me that the "retro" inspired new cars get so much criticism. I mean, we bitch about Detroit being stale, but when they push the envelope, we make fun of them.

The PT, HHR, and SSR might not be your thing... But at least they have a personality-annoying or not.
Sent from my iPhone using The TJJ App
(available to hoodlums around the world soon)

[Jkustom]

TJJ app!?! I'm excited!!

I really want to know about the engines in that belly tank looking thing and the HHR.. I'm assuming the smaller pipe coming out of the side of the HHR is for a , and I do like turbos quite a bit...

[Jkustom]

And I want to hear em!!